Shoe



Aug-11, 1931 J. E. WILLIAMS SHOE Filed April 7; 1950 FIE E Patented Aug.11, 1931 FUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES E. WILLIAMS, OF SPRING CITY,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT FRANK WILLIAMS, SPRING CITY,PENNSYLVANIA metal foundries.

SHOE

Application filed April 7, 1930. Serial No. 442,329.

This invention relates to shoes provided with side portions of elasticfabric, and specially adapted for the use of molders in This inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of the parts of theshoe as hereinafter fully described and claimed, the quarters beingformed of relatively small pieces of leather and being united by anoverlapping strip at the heel, thereby enabling the shoe to bemanufactured at less expense than heretofore, and being more comfortablefor the tendons at the back of the ankle of the wearer.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side View of a shoe constructed accordingto this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the ankle portion of theshoe, showing the spring catch open and engaging with the overlappingcoupling strip. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one quarter with the couplingstrip attached to it. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the other quarter. Fig.5 is a detail view of the coupling strip, showing a modification inwhich the strip is formed in two pieces. Fig. 6 is a detail view of theadjacent portions of the quarters and a coupling strip, showing amodification in which the strip does not extend to the top of the ankleporshoe are of tion of the shoe. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the top of thecoupling strip and the reinforeing piece.

The sole 10, upper 16 and heel 12 of the any approved make. Two quarters14 and 15 are provided, and the upper 16 in front of the ankle ispreferably formed of a single piece of material. Side portions 17 ofelastic material are secured between the upper and the front portions of'40 the quarters 14 and 15. The lower parts of the two quarters havetheir adjacent edges placed in abutment with each other and united by anoverlapping coupling strip m, 18, as shown in Fig. 3. This strip preferably extends from the heel to the ankle por tion of the shoe, and isstraight and sub stantially Vertical upon one side edge 19.

The other side edge 20 is straight and parallel to the side edge 19 atits lower part where it overlaps the usual stifiener 13 in-v to thequarters 14 and 15 about the level of j the top of the stiffener 13,which is indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 1. The upper part of thestrip 18 above the stiffener 13 is not secured to the quarter 15, andthe two quarters also are not secured together above the stiffener 13and the stitches 24. The top of the strip 18 is of about the same widthas its bottom part, and its edge 25 is inclined inwardly towards itsstraight edge 19 from its top to a notch 23 formed in the strip a littleabove the stiffener 13, and is then curved around to join onto the topof the side edge 20. This permits the upper part of the strip and a partof the quarter 14 to form an outer flap Which can be folded back, and itpermits a part of the other quarter 15 to be folded outwardly, so thatthe foot can be inserted in the shoe with great facility. 1

Slots 26 are formed diagonally in the top portion of the quarter 14 andstrip 18, and a piece of leather 27 is secured to thecorner portion ofthe strip 18, which projects be yond the quarter 14, to reinforce thestrip.

,Stitches 28 surround the slots, and secure the quarter 14 and the piece27 to the top part of the strip.

An inner flap 30 of soft material is secured to the inside surface ofthe quarter -15to project over the adjacent edges of the quarters at theback of the tendons of the ankle of the wearer.

A spring-pressed hook 31 is secured to the quarter 15, and engages withthe slots 26. This hook is substantially the same as that shown inPatent No. 1,533,287, issued to me on April 14, 1925, and operates inthe same Way.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the coupling strip 18 is made intwo pieces sewed together, as it is sometimes preferable to make theupper slotted part of it of a different quality of material from thelower part which is stitched to both of the quarters. The lower part ispreferably made of ample breadth, and is made of more flexible materialthan the slotted flap so that the bottom edge of the lower part can becrimped and secured under the bottom edges of the quarters.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the strip 18 has no upper part, andextends only from the shoe heel to about the level of the top of thestiffener 13. The quarter 14 is extended to form the whole of the outerflap having the slots 26 in it, and to take the place of the upper partof the strip.

hen the hook of the fastening device is inserted in one of the slots andis closed, it draws the ankle portion of the shoe snugly around theankle of the wearer, and stretches the elastic side portions a little.This prevents any splashes of molten metal from getting into the shoearound the ankle of the wearer, and the single spring fastener permitsthe shoe to be removed from the foot expeditiously in case of anaccident.

What I claim is:

1. In a shoe, an upper, two quarters, elastic side portions securedbetween the quarters and the upper, an overlapping strip having one sideportion secured to one quarter for its full length and having the lowerpart of its other side portion'secured to the other quarter with itsupper part forming a flap, said strip having an inclined outer edge anda notch at the outer side and lower part of the flap, and a fasteningdevice secured to one quarter and engaging with the said flap andoperating to contract the ankle portion of the shoe upon the ankle ofthe wearer.

2. A shoe as set forth in claim 1, the said overlapping strip beingformed of an upper part and a lower part secured together, and the lowerpart being formed of more flexible material than the upper part andhaving its bottom edge secured under the bottom edges of the quarters.

3. A shoe as set forth in claim 1, the said strip having a reinforcingpiece secured to the inner side of the slotted corner portion of itwhich projects beyond the quarter and. forms a part of the outer flap.

4. In a shoe, an upper, two quarters, elastic side portions securedbetween the quarters and the upper, an overlapping strip secured to onequarter for its full length and having the lower part of its other sideportion secured to the other quarter with its upper part forming a flap,said strip having an inclined outer edge and a notch at the outer sideand lower part-of the flap and said strip having inclined slots in itstop portion, an inner flap secured to the inner side of the said otherquarter and project-

